Many Houston interiors have good bones but dated finishes, poor light, uneven surfaces, or layouts that no longer match how the family uses the home.
Service — Tile
Nova Home Remodeling & Design
Tile Installation
Service — Tile
Set in mortar. Not mastic.
The difference between a tile installation that lasts thirty years and one that begins cracking in three is almost always in what is behind the tile: the substrate, the mortar bed, and the movement joints. Mastic adhesive is appropriate for residential tile in specific applications. For floors and for any large-format stone, it is not one of them.
We set all floor tile in a full mortar bed with back-buttering on tiles over twelve inches. Grout joints are sized for the tile and the movement expected in the space — not to a preference. Expansion joints are installed at the perimeter and at field interruptions. These are industry standards. They are also commonly ignored.
Homeowner concerns
Interior work has to feel calm long before it looks finished.
Most interior remodeling anxiety comes from the unknowns: how long the room will be unusable, whether the finish work will line up, and whether the house will feel protected while construction is happening around daily life.
Nova plans interior scopes around sequence, dust control, material lead times, and the small details that make a finished room feel intentional rather than assembled in a hurry.
What changes
From worn or disconnected rooms to spaces that support the way you live.
The right interior remodel brings structure back to the room: cleaner sightlines, better transitions, durable materials, and finish work that quietly raises the quality of the whole house.
- Cleaner room-to-room transitions
- More durable daily-use finishes
- A calmer, more considered interior
How we approach it
Three things that set this work apart.
Not every remodeler thinks this way. These are the commitments that separate a careful project from a forgettable one.
- 01
Layouts dry-laid before any mortar is mixed.
Every tile installation is dry-laid on the floor — full field — to confirm the layout, center the pattern, and check cut sizes before the first tile is permanently set. Changes after setting begins are expensive.
- 02
Grout joint sized to the tile, not the preference.
Handmade tile requires wider joints to accommodate size variation. Large-format porcelain is rectified and can run tight. The joint is not a stylistic choice alone — it is a technical specification.
- 03
Substrate waterproofed on all wet surfaces.
Shower walls, shower floors, and tub surrounds receive a three-step waterproofing membrane system before any tile goes on. The membrane is flood-tested before tiling begins.
Materials and craft
The finish only works when the layers beneath it are correct.
Interior remodeling is won in prep: substrate repair, trim alignment, layout marks, acclimation, and the order in which each trade touches the room.
Surface preparation
Walls, floors, and openings are assessed before finish work so uneven framing or damaged substrate does not telegraph through the final product.
Finish coordination
Paint, millwork, tile, flooring, and lighting are sequenced together so one beautiful decision does not create a problem for the next trade.
Protection standards
Floors, HVAC returns, adjacent rooms, and furniture paths are protected with the same seriousness as the work area itself.
07 — ProcessFour phases.
Four phases.
Sixteen months, on average.
One crew per project, start to finish. The same people who frame your kitchen are the ones who set the tile and hang the cabinets. No handoffs. No strangers in month seven.
Phase 01 / 04
Brief
01
Brief
A long conversation, in your home. We walk every room, measure what matters, and listen before we offer a single idea. Observation first.
Weeks 1–4
02
Drawings
Full plan sets and shop drawings — every cabinet measured on site, every joint specified on paper. Nothing goes to production without a drawing.
Months 2–4
03
Build
Our in-house crew handles framing, cabinetry, tile, and finish work. Same people, start to finish. No handoffs, no surprises.
Months 4–14
04
Sign
We sign the inside of a drawer face when we leave. Initials, date, and a number you can call for the rest of the house's life.
After keys
Houston homes
Built for the realities of Houston living.
Interior work in Houston has to account for high humidity, busy family schedules, slab-on-grade conditions, and a wide mix of home ages from Heights bungalows to newer west-side construction.
- Houston
- The Heights
- River Oaks
- Memorial
- Montrose
- Katy
Local relevance is handled through real construction context, not city-name repetition.
Common questions
What clients ask us most.
Honest answers to the questions that come up in every first conversation about this type of work.
Consultation
A measured conversation before a measured scope.
We start by understanding the room, the frustrations, the desired finish level, and the constraints. From there, Nova can recommend the right scope instead of forcing a package onto the house.
- Walk the room and document concerns
- Discuss material direction and timeline
- Define a realistic scope before pricing
11 — Contact
Tell us about the home.
StudioHouston, Texas
Serving Greater Houston
Serving Greater Houston
HoursMonday–Saturday
7:00 AM – 7:00 PM
7:00 AM – 7:00 PM
Prefer email?Send project details